


A Tale of The Dragon and The Badger

by Foxiefassiebandie



Category: Produce 101 (TV), X1 (Korea Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Avatar & Benders Setting, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-01
Updated: 2020-03-19
Packaged: 2020-11-09 02:20:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,288
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20845940
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Foxiefassiebandie/pseuds/Foxiefassiebandie
Summary: When the new Avatar is born, the cycle of life continues in the right path. The legend has always been and it should be that way. But the legend never tells of those who is in kind with whom they claim to be The One.





	1. The Mighty Badger

**Author's Note:**

> The broken stone and the falling bird.

Summer break is about to come in three weeks. Students in whole Earth Kingdom have less than those three weeks to prepare their whole summer break. Well, some of them. Those who prepare for the coronation of the New King in Ba Sing Se don’t really have a chance to prepare their holiday.

Ever since the last war, Earth Kingdom people found new hero that later become their King and erase the democratic system permanently. It was the end of the sorrow, so they said. With how stubborn people in Earth Kingdom, it was practically impossible to have the fair voice of each individual. Not to mention the corrupt governments with their subjective rules. Those rules favor one party or certain organizations. Those who felt left putting out protests, thus resulted up into a war between states.

The War ended with the help of the Avatar who was brought by a sand bender from Si Wong Desert. History says his intention of bringing Avatar inside the war was of his deceased wife and first son during the war. Knowing how small he was beside those who are in power, he knew there was no other way other than bringing the most powerful Avatar herself to help him. By his wise option to bring The Avatar inside the chaos and stop the war for once and all, he was then named The King of The Earth Kingdom.

Years after, his descendants become the rulers of Earth Kingdoms. Unfortunately, for the past five years, the early deaths have been following the rulers. The last two rulers named are gone because of sickness. Some whispers have been saying that it was actually being done by those who are still lingering in democracy era. Those who feel that one ruler is not an ideal power placement and people power is the only thing that matters.

All of those bring Han Seung Woo into deep thinking of how he can be a better ruler than his past father. He is there, in the room with his teacher and other classmates, his hands are on the paper, answering question while his mind is far to the coronation. He would love to be thinking about holidays like other kids. But with his father death, as how monarchy should work, he must step in the throne.

It is a poor fate if he must name what his life is. He didn’t meet his father very often after his uncle, The King before his father, passed away. Then after his father is gone, he doesn’t have the time to mourn for that figure he didn’t even get to see for years. The only memories linger in his mind are those from when he was a kid. His father was so much brighter then and playful too. Ah he misses those moments. He holds in his tears, again. School is inappropriate place to cry. Wherever you are, be the tough and reliable man you will be for this Kingdom. Those words are the ones he must hold.

Seung Woo inhales his deep breath. He finishes his exam sheet. When he looks up there, he wishes he would find his father’s face in clouds like those books said when people passed away. He finds nothing. Even the clouds seem turn gray when he hopes for something impossible.

His eyes turn wide when he sees a dragon flying up high. He stands from his chair only to be yelled later by the teacher. He bows later to the teacher, sit back and pulling his green tie a bit lower. It was clearly a dragon he sees. Is that someone from Fire Nation? But they shouldn’t allow anyone flying around the Earth Kingdom.

When the bell rings, Seung Woo walks out from his class only to be back hugged by his friend, Byeong Chan. The tall guy pokes Seung Woo’s cheeks and pinching The Prince endlessly even when The Prince said stop.

“Ah! Please stop- Choi Byeong Chan!” he screamed.

“Not until you tell me where you were this morning, I waited at the bus stop.” Said him again

Yes, this Prince goes to public school and rides busses every day, which is unusual. But being a descendant of a ruler who break democracy and turn it into Monarchy, it is a wise choice. Besides his father said that it should be like that so that he won’t be spoiled.

“I had to go early- Let go!” begged him when the tall guy tickles him.

“You shouldn’t have.”

“Please! Let go!” asked him again only to be ignored.

They both stop when they see the palace’s car parked in front of the school. Seung Woo is not supposed to be picked up by the palace if there is no special occasion or a very urgent matter in Palace.

“Your Majesty” his driver comes out from the car and bow deeply.

Both guys stop their silly act and bow back to the driver.

“What is it, uncle?” asked Seung Woo.

“Perhaps the news might be better delivered in the Palace. We don’t want to cause a chaos in here.” Said the man.

Seung Woo then waves his hand to Byeong Chan and follow the driver. His plane to eat fried shrimp tofu in front of the station is cancelled now. He bet Byeong Chan is upset as well. But it’s not like they can do anything about it.

In the road, Seung Woo looks outside the window. When he looks at the sky, he remembers the dragon he saw from the class this morning.

“Uncle, is there any guest from Fire Nation?” asked him.

The driver raises his eyebrows from the mirror.

“Paardon me but how do you know, Your Majesty?” asked him. Seung Woo was right all along then.

“I saw a dragon flying from the class’ window back then.” Said him after.

“Ah, it must be him, well he is still so young, there is no point in blaming him.” The driver mumbles by himself.

Seung Woo looks confused. Then his driver realizes that he has not delivered the news yet. It supposed to be the job of the palace head assistant, but seems like The Prince already know, so it will be fine to just tell him a bit.

“There is indeed a guest from Fire Nation, Your Majesty. Although it is not directed to you, but you are expected to join the lunch with the guest since there is no one in ruling position for now. I hope for your understanding, Your Majesty.” Explained him then.

Seung Woo blinks his eyes. He doesn’t like hearing ‘there is no one in ruling position’ so he stop asking and lay his back deep into the seat.

When he arrives at the Palace, the head assistant. The woman bows deeply as Seung Woo steps inside the palace. He doesn’t know why, but he still can’t control his emotions whenever he is in the palace, no matter how hard he tries. He always becomes more cold and arrogant whenever he enters the palace. He knows that well and he feels sorry for the maids and assistants and everyone he meets in that stiff face. But he just can’t hide the fact that he hates the palace.

He keeps walking inside even when the head assistant calls him for so many times. Then he stops when he meets someone he knew from ten years ago. Ah, he didn’t see this coming.

“Your Majesty-” called the head assistant.

“Is this the guest? The Avatar?” asked him.

Before the head assistant answers, Seung Woo bows his head to respect the chosen one in front of him. The Avatar bows his head back.

“It’s been a while.” Said Seung Woo.

“Miss Liu, you can go back to your place. I’ll get the message from The Avatar himself.” Said him.

“I’m not The Avatar yet.” Said him then that makes Seung Woo widen his eyes.

After begging Miss Liu to leave them alone. Seung Woo agrees to change his uniform into his prince robe. Making him looks like a proper Prince walking alongside a proper future Avatar. They walk by the pound, just like the old times.

“It’s been a quiet while since I’m here.” Said the chosen one.

“Well, to be fair you weren’t here for a long time too. Only here to practice your earth bending then go back to your place without even say goodbye to The Prince himself.” Said Seung Woo.

“I’m sorry for your loss, I haven’t sent you any proper condolences.” Answer the guy.

Seung Woo sighs deeply. Really tired of hearing that word ‘condolences’. But it’s not like he can spit off mean words to the guy.

“And sorry for not saying anything for the whole ten years. Truth is, I’ve been in difficult situations.” Said him after.

Seung Woo looks at him. They both stop by the tree next to the pound and sit there. No one starts any talk. The Prince is too scared the bad news of his cherished guy and The Chosen One is too hesitate to tell his long friend this knowing The King death was just a few weeks ago.

“What happened?” asked The Prince who is too anxious to keep waiting.

“I lost my fire bending.”

Seung Woo looks at the guy next to him. After saying that, he looks extremely sullen. For an Avatar to lost his born bending, it is a poor fate indeed.

TBC


	2. Blue Dragon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How mighty are you without your breath?

As simple as how life is portrayed by all the supernatural teachers he got, Seungyoun just can’t stop thinking about food. There he is, on top of the highest hill in northern air temple, trying to get a glimpse to perfecting his air bending. His breathing starts to get heavier and heavier until he decided to climb down the hill and joining the monks in the temple.

Must he confessed, he feels undoubtedly worry for what has happened to him. It’s been a month since his day of fighting Nuka, an annoyed spirit turning into a bulb of mess whenever he goes. Been kidnapping kids for months. He was glad he put an end to it, by bringing the spirit back to his own world and speak with him. Although, there was a cost he must paid.

When he entered the spirit world while bringing the wounded Nuka on his shoulder and put him on the big stone inside the lilac cave he supposed to be in, another spirit came to him. Almost putting a curse to him. The spirit stopped when Seungyoun showed her that he is The Avatar. She accepted him gracefully in her place. But before Seungyoun walked away, she said something to him,

“You must know that you hurt my only son, Avatar.” Said her.

Seungyoun turned his back, begging for forgiveness in silence. The spirit came to him. Her form became clear under the light. A fox-like creature with a face like tiger, her body is twice the size of Seungyoun.

“Surely you know when you came that our place is not a warm one.” Said her again.

Seungyoun couldn’t open his mouth. He looked up to the spirit who put a grin on her beautiful face.

“A gift of warmth will do. So that my son can rest and healed.” Said her again.

The spirit turned her back after that. Guiding Seungyoun closely toward his son. Seungyoun must said, he felt terrible looking at the son. A guilt crept in his lungs. He should have been a bridge to both world, not hurting the poor creature.

Seungyoun then put his palm on Nuka. Not knowing what could happen to him. After a bright light covered his eyes, he found himself back in the valley where he fight Nuka before bringing him back to his cave. He didn’t think much of it and coming back to the temple where the monks looks at him warily. They put down their guards when they saw Avatar came back. But when the oldest monk look at him in grim, Seungyoun’s smile faded.

It was the day after when he found out that he can no longer bend fire. His breath doesn’t feel as alive. His lungs is no longer full of warmth. No matter how hard he tried to put out fire only a breath of warm air comes out. The monks tried whatever they could, but they couldn’t cure him nor do they know what must be done to the poor Avatar.

Shortly after, Seungyoun went to the North Pole. He met the greatest healer in the world, so they said. Only after then he heard something even worse. The healer said that this is not a case where a chi of a bender is blocked. The healer even said that it is as if Seungyoun was never born as a fire-bender in the very first place.

He tried looking for a cure, practicing his fire bending even more, went to the Sun Warriors only to meet the fate that both masters refuse to meet him. He was discouraged, wronged, and pathetic. He blamed the spirits but found no way to go back to the Nuka’s place. Only to realize that he was a fool to not even tried to say anything when Nuka’s mother lure him into her charms.

Amidst the catastrophe he felt inside himself. He went home to the Fire Nation. Knowing that his father would annoyingly asked him again to be The Fire Lord next to his father. He didn’t feel like he was home. His father continuously slides throne position in every conversation. His mother couldn’t stop agreeing to his father. Seungyoun can only sit there quietly, all of this talk came out even before he brought up about the fire bending issue. If only his father finds out, he might no longer have an access to go from Fire Nation.

“I’ve never once despise a duty of an Avatar. But when it comes to my blood, I find it very unpleasant.” Said Fire Lord Lee after telling stories about his duty to the Omashu the day before.

That sentence doesn’t even add up to his story before. He told his family about this distribution tools they work on in the industry of Omashu and how the tools are going to be applied in Fire Nation too. From some random carrier to Throne. Seungyoun is not that smart of a kid, but he surely is not the only who feels a bit off with the story.

He doesn’t say anything, his whole family only eats more cabbage as his father sighs harshly. It’s not his first time to be abandoned by his first son. But he keeps being stubborn that he can make his son comes back to him, ignoring whatever the lousy Universe said about his fate.

Seungyoun doesn’t stop chewing his food. He feels his father’s stare getting more intense, not that he doesn’t want to do anything with it. He knows that no matter what he said, his father will only listen to himself.

“Why is it that you cherish in that ‘selfless’ duty?” ask his father then.

Seungyoun stop munching his cabbage. He looks at his father daringly then let out a delicate sighs. His eyes soften toward the man in throne.

“I don’t appreciate the ‘selfless’ tone, Father. Unlike a leader of a certain nation, my duty is to keep the balance of the world and its’ subjects. Without a penny on it.” Explained him after.

Seungyoun left after he said that. Walking back to his old chamber. He sat on the bed while staring the night sky. The moon is bright tonight. Wooseok must be happy tonight. Probably practicing the bending technique he suffers to master. Ah, how lucky is he, Kim Wooseok from North Pole, an heir to the greatest healer in the world chosen by himself, blessed by the whole tribe and his simple family. That little guy is sure lucky in his life.

He is deep in thought that night until a hawk flies in the shadow of the moon. He got a letter that night. Personal letter written to him.

_“My Prince brother will not appreciate this gesture, but he is in need of your presence, Avatar. You’re the closest he can get as a friend and as the same Heir to the throne, I reckon that your presence in the coronation would help him. Losing a Father is a heavy burden but as you must know, the whole kingdom depends on him to be the next ruler. Prince Han Seungwoo needs you, both body and mind._

_Sincerely, Han Sunhwa.”_

Seungyoun stares blankly after reading the letter. It’s been a while yet they are both still the same. A fellow in sorrow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It takes so long for me to actually have an idea to continue this story. Hopefully I'll keep writing this because I like this story so much myself (narcissist alert). hehe, it feels good y'know, catching feelings on your own story.


	3. Slightly Tiny Moon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A beautiful night to feel sad over nothing.

The moon shines as bright as its soul that night. But the departure of the Fire Nation Prince doesn’t make Kim Wooseok as bright that night. That lousy kid might make a bad Avatar but he never oppose the idea of a silly Avatar. They cannot be all full of wisdom. Sometimes they just have to be as silly as Seungyoun. Thinking about it makes Wooseok uneasy. The drained face of his old friend when he climbs down his dragon stays in his mind. How desperate he must be until he cross the world only to find a cure.

The news about how Avatar loses its fire bending hasn’t spread yet. Only some people know about this. Which makes him even more worried, if this gets out, imagine how the world would be. A broken hope is not what people want to hear.

Master Wedha flicks his forehead with an ice again. Wooseok falls with water splattered on his whole body. The master shakes his head while Wooseok gets up wet. He never fails to master everything his Master taught him, he is in distraught.

“A flick on your forehead? Really?” said Master Wedha.

Woosoek shakes his head, dries his hair from the fallen water.

“I’m sorry Master, won’t happen again.” Said him weakly.

“After three times you mention that? I appreciate your bias interest in healing but Wooseok, you’re the one who asks for this late training, at least put some respect on my time.”

Master Wedha stops frowning as he sees Wooseok gets even more sullen. He cannot get mad at this kid. A gifted and hardworking kid.

“Perhaps you want to call it a night?” asks the master again.

Wooseok shakes his head the last time. He looks as eager as the wave on the night sea this time.

“No. Continue.” Said him.

His legs move aside hands moves following the wave of the great sea. As he is dancing under the moonlight he puts out his biggest desire to control the son the moon. A great wave follows his fingers, splattered on Master Wedha’s body only to be broken into bits of piercing ices by the older man. The older one makes move, pulling up the ice Woosoek stands on. The older man is confident this time. He melts the center of the iceberg, pulling Wooseok down by surprise and trapped inside the tall iceberg cage.

The pupil is witty enough to pull the trick toward the older man. He moves the entire iceberg to his front, lets himself out of its cage. When he sees how the look of the old man as ready as he should to bend the giant iceberg, Wooseok turns it into a giant wave of water, splashes through the man’s body.

Before the master free to bend more water and attacks the pupil, Wooseok command the water surround his master to cage him and turn it into piercing ices. The master is completely pinned now. He laughs as Wooseok melt down the ices.

“Must you be, Universe might grant you the greatest water bender of this century, Kim Wooseok.” Said him.

Wooseok bows down on his master with his bright smile. Master Wedha sees through the smile. His pupil might be great but his emotions always get the best of him. He is sure of it.

“The moon must help you bend those splashes. But what made it almost kills me is not that.” Said him again.

Wooseok turns his head to his master. He looks confused of his master sayings.

“You must know that water is a delicate element, not to be bended under influence of such disturbance.” Said Master Wedha again. Wooseok nods now, he understands.

“I’ll have to deepen my bond on that. Only it is hard to do that.” Said him. Slightly pouting his lips.

“Ah yes, emotions bond don’t happen based on practice, approach it with your sense. Practical purpose makes you stronger, but deepen your feelings makes you befriend with water. A bond is always better than a bend. Hahaha.” Explained the old man.

Wooseok laughs too. They spend the rest of the dawn with a warm tea and some laughter. Wooseok is a silent kid. Only bright on the surface, the old man knows it. How his pupil feels everything inside and put a slightly more feeling into things he shouldn’t be. But the old man cannot help it, perhaps that’s what makes his pupil is stronger than anyone else.

To be a great water bender is a sacrifice of some oddness created by The Universe. Unlike other elements, it costs the bender to feel more disturbance rather than an urge to fix it. As if they supposed to befriend the darkness. Not to completely shattered it but to know deeper to hold it and understand its difference. Master Wedha doesn’t understand the concept still, but ever since Wooseok came to be his pupil, he notice the difference. Of how the kid can speak with thorough the waves with the darkness inside each people in his life.

That’s why Master Wedha knows that his pupil is deeply concern of Avatar’s current circumstances. Not of how he cannot bend fire. But of how Avatar feels his incompetence and, perhaps, some other things only two understand.

A palace guard comes approaching them. Bringing an envelope with a white stamps on it.

“A letter for Kim Wooseok, from the southern air temple.” Said the messenger.

Woosoek accepted it while furrowing his forehead. There is only one monk he knows there and by the way the monk behaves, it is only a very important or a very random message would be written to him.

_“Kim Wooseok, you’re invited to my chamber to play with my toys all night long while attending a summer festival in Southern Air Temple. You’re not allowed to miss it. Take it as a payment to my presence last winter in your bedroom when you lost your pet cat._

_You know who it is.”_

Wooseok smiles as he reads the letter. He never understand how he became friends with this silly air bender. An accident he always feel grateful for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know who's coming folks :)


	4. Lost Bison

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I thought I was just caressing.

Is it forbidden for an air bender to sleep on a tree when he looks for his bison the whole night? Maybe yes is the right answer since air bender still a human who have backbones therefore it shall be broken when it falls from the tree. The difference is just, they love to laugh it off and move on. If it happened to Wooseok, he might be cursing on top of his lungs now. Oh wait, no, Wooseok would never do that in the very first place.

One odd thing the stuck-on-tree air bender cannot comply is how his bison is always obey Kim Wooseok instead of him. That is just a proper insult both to air nomads and him as a person chosen by Babu. His bison. But it’s not like he can confront his bison either. He loves Babu too much.

The air bender fell too hard until his backbone crack with his long legs still hanging on to the tree branches. He can only say ‘ouch’ before he senses something watch him from above. With his spinning head, his eyes tries to look at the transparent shadow on the tree. Something is in there, moving, he senses it in the wind. His palm then grab a ball of wind tries to make it as smooth and as silent as possible. His eyes pretend to shut. The second he senses it moving to another branch, he throw the wind-ball hard.

A fox fell from the tree. The air bender frees himself from the tree branches then gets up and starts whimpering for his idiocy to hurt a harmless animal. He touches the fox’s shoulder and gasps. Well, apparently it’s not a harmless animal. It speaks.

“DON’T. It hurts.” Said the fox.

When the fox turns her back, the air bender can see her face. It’s a tiger face without the mustache and a pair of ears like wolfs. A spirit, he thought. He narrows his eyes, he senses something different from the spirit. She is in pain, desperately looking for a cure. Her eyes turn purple then green, then sometimes in between.

“You’re in pain.” Said him.

“Step aside, you’ll get burned too if you touch me once again.” Reply her.

The air bender doesn’t listen to her. He touches the fox still. He turns the fox then press her belly. Well, he just does as the monks used to teach him about how to know if your bison is eating something wrong. This one is spirit but looks like mammals so maybe it works.

But the odd thing happens, the second he touches the fox’s belly. A bright light comes out of it, as if his palm acts like elephants’ trunks. It feels like he is taking away something from the fox’s body. His body feels warm, his lungs doesn’t breath like usually. The fox looks at him in pain. Then when the light comes off, the fox looks at him in fear. Her eyes turn back into purple with a bit of yellow inside it.

“Well, that was quick. Do you feel better now?” said the air bender, ignoring the fear in the fox’s eyes.

“How- how did you do that?” ask the fox.

“That, I don’t know, not much of a healer. But I do that a lot to my bison when he has an upset stomach. Is that supposed to happen when you caress a spirit’s upset stomach?” ask him.

The fox moves her body, she sits in front of the naïve air bender.

“I don’t have an upset stomach, air bender. But you helped me, thank you from my deepest heart. I owe you my life.” Said the fox.

The air bender is confused, doesn’t know what to do with that information.

“Take it as a gratitude, I don’t like being owed.”

“No, you saved my life.” The fox sighs deeply then. Her eyes turn sullen. The silence then broken by the fox’s rough sighs.

“I must confess then. I took something that doesn’t belong to the spirit world. With the thought of keeping my son alive. But that doesn’t work. I took the power I couldn’t bear to even accept. It burns me, it killed my son and almost killed me.” Explained the fox.

The air bender blinks his eyes fast when he listened to that. A part of him can’t really believe what he heard. So this spirit is a thief?

“Sorry to ask, but what did you took that it hurts you so much?” ask him then.

The fox looks him in the eye. She puts out another breath.

“A bending, a fire bending from a man I met in an air temple valley. I came to look for him but I find no traces of him.” Said the fox.

The air bender lets out a deep breath.

“You know that there are more than ten temples of air temple?”

“Yes.”

When he’s about to say something more, he feels his heartbeat increased and his chest dripping of sweat under his clothes. The wind he took from his nose and comes out through his pores feels warmer. He couldn’t speak for a split second, it feels like a summer inside his body. The air bender stands then. Bows to the spirit who is looking at him with her starry eyes.

“I hope you find him, now I have to look for my bison. Good luck for you Miss Spirit.” Said the air bender.

While walking away, his heart beats faster than anything. His face is poured with sweat. After walking far enough from the spirit. He looks at his palms. Red as tomato. The warmth he feels through his blood is something he never felt before.

He is not the brightest of all air nomads. But he is sensitive of everything happens around him or even inside him. He knows this sensation, he feels this when he bended his first air from his lungs through his pores. There is only another element he bet feels similar. Fire, an unstructured element. Free one like air. He must took it from the fox when he was about to heal the poor spirit.

In one breath he tries to accept as little as the warmth he just accepted. A small fire appears on his palm. Feels like a heartbeat instead of a breath.

“Lee Jinhyuk!”

He closes his palm when he heard someone calls his name. He turns his back and found his friend, Sejin in a body full of mud. In his back, Babu walks also with fur full of mud. Great, Babu’s back. At least, that’s what important, right? 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well,there you a Capricorn as an heir of The Earth Kingdom earth bender, a Leo as The Avatar, a Scorpio as a talented water bender, and a Gemini as a random brilliant air bender.


	5. New King Coming Through

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> First day of ruling and pre-event of something, exciting.

The whole subjects of Earth Kingdom present at the coronation of their new King. Young one, must they say, they don’t expect much from the boy. Born from the blood of a ruler doesn’t guarantee his way of ruling to be good. Nevertheless, they were raised to put a whole trust into the King, whoever it might be. So there are whispers of worries, but not very loudly.

Even without saying it in front of his face, Han Seungwoo knows that his subjects are not putting a whole trust into him yet. Some said he is too weak, some said he is too young, some said he is too unstable. Anything that is too less or too much to be the King. But he must faces it, the fact that he is too less or too much will not change the fact that he will be crowned in minutes. He doesn’t speak much, however stares a lot until it concerns The Avatar who decided to accompany him in the hallway before entering the podium.

The Avatar bites his lips, not sure whether saying anything will make his friend feels better. He himself is not in a good condition. But looking at his friend exposing the pressure he felt through all of his muscle, he can’t help but saying something that he regrets,

“Come on, it’s just a King position, you’ve been trained for it. Your Father would be proud.”

Han Seungwoo stares at him. Taking a deep breath.

“I’m still mad that you left me without a word.” Said him then.

Seungyoun, The Avatar bites his lips. He knows this prick will not be grateful for what he said, but he doesn’t know if he is going to be attacked by an old story. He doesn’t even know a King would be this childish.

The big door opens, showing hundreds and hundreds of The Earth Kingdom subjects. Seungwoo steps out while Seungyoun stays inside. It’s not his stage, however her friend’s well-being is his concern. He can’t left.

“Here by I give Han Seungwoo, The Heir of The Earth Kingdom Throne, a duty to be our Leader, Ruler, and our Mighty King.” After the words been announced, Han Seungwoo stands up with a crown that looks more like an expensive hat.

He smiles warmly, showing his subjects that he is fine. After a few waves, he steps down the podium and walks closer to the microphone.

“Thank you for attending the coronation. The Kings before me never say anything after the coronation but I have to say something. I am young for this position, but you may put aside your worry for I’ve been trained my whole life to be a King and a ruler you deserve. You may wait for big things to happen around my time and for those who plan to end me, prepare to be failed.” Said him.

Seungwoo walks back to the podium and bows to his subjects. Leaving his subjects in awe with the charisma he got in a very young age. Some must be triggered, some must be in fear, but some sure that he must be a King Earth Kingdom has been longing for. After bowing down, The New King walks back only to see The Avatar with his hands crosses in front of his chest.

They look at each other then laughs a little. Seungyoun hugs him, well, that was not so bad, he thought. Seungwoo hugs him back. For how selfish The Avatar can be, he chooses to stay there even though he could just leave. They then let go of their hugs with Seungyoun still smiles toward The New King.

“That hat really fits you.” Said him.

Seungwoo takes off the crown. He holds it and let out a sighs.

“I hope it does.”

They both then spend the rest of the day with festive and more meetings with the head of the regions to discuss the new policy King Han Seungwoo given. Things are a bit out of hand when Han Seungwoo gives the order to the cut off the half of the fine for all subjects. But some poor regions smile hearing that, they are in need of this policy.

“Your Majesty, with all due respect. The fine is in the right amount, how are we supposed to give them a proper facilities if they are not giving the amount we need?” said one of the head region.

“Yes, I agree, it’s been the same for the last thirty years. Must you really come to this conclusion?” said another one.

Seungwoo lets out a sighs.

“Although I’m young, I’m not a kid. I happened to be lost in the lower ring when I was five years old. The life there is not even near what you call proper. When I asked them “why would they live that way”, they, who did not know me as a prince back then said, the fine of the traders in lower rings are more expensive than the other subjects. They said they must pay it since they cannot produce their own grains because the fields outside of the border belong to the big merchants in the middle of the middle ring. The only way they have to survive is by stocking grains, fruits, fishes or anything they can find from other regions.” Explain Seungwoo.

The Heads of Regions are in silence. Then one person starts to talk again.

“It’s a living they chose, Your Majesty, cutting the fine won’t help them.” Said him. Which he regrets as soon as he said that.

Han Seungwoo chuckles hearing that. Then laughs hard as he put out another smoke from his pipe.

“What is it exactly that you call it ‘a living they chose’?” asks him.

The Head of The Smallest Region then raises his hand, very unusual, very polite, usually head of –something- will just speak. Which Han Seungwoo not fond of, but telling them to do what polite gesture he fond of is not something he’d do. A waste of time to speak about manner to people who feel privileged.

Han Seungwoo puts down his pipe, he put both of his hands on the table and looks at the man. Humble man, wears a green robe just like the other heads of regions. But his robe is not as shiny, not as neat, it looks darker and a bit wrinkled. Even from a far Seungwoo smells trace of smoke from his robe and some other unpleasant smells stick to his robe.

“If I may say anything Your Majesty,” said him, timidly.

“Please, go ahead.” Said Han Seungwoo.

“I appreciate your offer to cut the amount of fine, it will help us, small regions across the lower ring, tremendously even. But if others are not in the same voice, I’d like to make a simpler offer.” The whole room silence and look at Seungwoo.

The King nods.

“This morning, me and my son Kim Yohan had to help fixing the train that stuck in the tunnel. The train brought the supplies for our people. However, without getting stuck inside a tunnel, it will need at least two weeks for the supplies to arrive at our place. By the time it comes, the fishes are no longer in a great shape, the fruits are rotten, and the vegetables are all withered. If I may suggest something simpler, I’d like to be provided new trains for our supplies distributions.” Explained him.

Seungwoo learns the atmosphere of the room. Even with the simple request, the whole room doesn’t seem to appreciate it.

“And how are you going to provide that?” said one of the silky robe members.

Seungwoo rolls his eyes, he knew all along that the regions meeting is going to be like this. The big ones will only just blabbing around without concerning others. What more can he expect from Earth Kingdom people?

“By the fine of all subjects of The Earth Kingdom, after all we must help each other.” Said him.

All people in the rooms are left speechless with how The Young King speak his mind. He will get backlashed but his words are true after all. After staying quiet for a while, Miss Liu comes in with a paper in her hand. She hands it to The King.

“A fun, I suppose?” said him after reading what’s written inside the paper.

“More like a cultural event.” Said Miss Liu after.

“Sounds like fun to me.” Said Seungwoo again.

“Who else are invited?” asked him then.

“The Avatar will present himself as both Fire Nation Prince and The Avatar, The King of the Earth Kingdom, Prince Cha from North Pole Water Tribe.” Explained Miss Liu.

“Some monks?” asked The King again.

“Yes, each temple will present as it is their kind, Your Majesty.” Said Miss Liu again.

The Young King then look around his table. People avoid his cold gaze except for the man who asked for new trains.

“This meeting is done, decisions are made. Thank you for your presences.” Said him.

“My King, you can’t just say things are made!?” screamed one of the silky robe man.

“Just like I shouldn’t blow a pipe, knowing I’m still a kid in law’s eyes. But I’m here as a King and you will do as I say. Have a great weekend.” Said him then gets up from his chair.

When he comes out, he finds The Avatar in the hallway. He stops his rough stomping across the hallway. Walking slowly toward him who’s in the middle of, if anything more, staring at the big painting in the hallway. The Royal Family painting, when he comes closer he can see himself in there, very small in his fathers hand. They are not smiling in the painting. Shouldn’t have either, not a happy life to begin with.

They don’t say anything for a few minutes. Only standing side by side looking at the painting. The King wondering himself what’s so fascinating about it.

“You must have been a sweet kid.” Said Seungyoun suddenly.

“Was I?” said Seungwoo, unsure of the answer he must given.

“With how you handle everything in the court room full of selfish people, you sure were sweet.” Said Seungyoun again.

“If you heard properly, I was being cold.” Said Seungwoo.

Seungyoun tilts his head looking at Seungwoo who still looks at the painting with empty eyes.

“You wished them a great weekend.” Seungyoun said, half giggling.

Seungwoo is not sure which part of it is funny. But he put out a small laughs. Then look at Seungyoun with his kid-like eyes. At that stare again he is thinking again of how his childhood must have been better if he knew Seungyoun earlier.

“Come on, we should go to the Southern Air Temple.” Said Seungyoun, pulling Seungwoo’s arm.

“I can’t believe I will not eat meat for more than a week.” Grumbled Seungwoo.

“It’s worth the fun, besides, I heard Wooseok is coming. A friend invited him.”

“Small kid Wooseok?” asked Seungwoo.

“Yes. Him.”

Great, meeting his old crush sure will be fun. As long as Seungyoun doesn’t find out, it might still be fun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know what, I just hope I don't screw Seungwoo's character up.


	6. Breath In

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's in a way, very mesmerizing, of how both power comes from his breath within' himself can bring very different feels toward him.

Jinhyuk doesn’t say anything all the way back to the temple. As a friend who’s been with him for the last nineteen years, Sejin finds it weird that his only friends who has more than ten mouths at times suddenly turns quiet. He looks ten times heavier even when there is Babu walks beside him, the bison must be tired after wandering in the woods alone. Both look like they’re defeated by something. Extremely tired and shoulder who looks as heavy as their eyes.

Sejin can’t hold still to this unusual quietness, he fly on Babu’s back, hugging the bison. Stomping on the bison. But both the mammals and the grumpy mammals don’t say a word. Sejin’s head frowned, both annoyed and worried for his best friend’s head.

“Nag at me, at least?” said him then. Trying to get Jinhyuk’s attention.

The tall guy just walks with empty eyes on the road. Amazing, Lee Jinhyuk for the first time ignoring his annoying smaller-size best friend. Quite disrespectful actually.

“Lee Jinhyuk!” Call him finally. Shouts at the taller one.

Jinhyuk’s head bobbed up, when he finds Sejin sit on Babu’s back he tilts his head to the right. Looking at the smaller monk in question.

“What are you doing there?” asked him. Sejin raises his eyebrows.

“What is exactly happening to you?” asked him in whisper.

Jinhyuk seems to not listening to anything at the moment. His blank eyes stare the road with heavy shoulder. His neck is a bit redder than usual, Sejin would know that. But why is it red?

Sejin walks alongside Jinhyuk, giving up on his best friend’s silence-depressed attitude. They walk together until they reach the temple. Since they are obligated to clean Babu before placing him in his bed, yes Flying Bisons have their own bed now, they go to the small river with a small waterfall next to the temple. Even there, the tall skinny guy still has his blank stare while rubbing Babu’s feet. Sometimes looks awakened by his own thoughts and shakes his head. Sejin narrows his eyebrows, this is properly weird.

Babu roars sleepily as he enters his giant chamber and throw himself among the mountains of straw. He looks excited as he cleans now. But Sejin is not sure if a simple bath can make his owner as happy. Jinhyuk closes the giant doors with his bare hands. Another unusual thing to do, instead of using his air bending, he chooses to push the heavy doors with his bare hands. It’s not that Jinhyuk is weak. He is juts the laziest air bender Sejin ever find.

After the doors are properly closed. Jinhyuk claps his hands, now not in his depressed look anymore. Because later he notices Sejin suspicious look and he purposely ignores that. He whistles after looking at Sejin narrowed look.

“What?” ask him to Sejin.

Sejin doesn’t answer, he looks at his skinny friends up and down, sniffing him, even touch his reddened neck that doesn’t seem to go away since this morning.

“What is it?” ask him again.

Sejin looks at him oddly.

“Are you feeling sick?” ask Sejin. Jinhyuk shakes his head.

“You know your neck is really red?” ask Sejin again.

Jinhyuk slightly jumps when he hears that. He then rubs his neck crazily. Sejin looks at him in strangely. He knows that Jinyuk is not the most descent person most of the time. But somehow that skinny kid manages to surpass his own level of weirdness today. It is an achievement, an unimportant one.

“Is it that red?? Very much visible?” ask him, still rubbing his own neck.

“Maybe don’t get flustered that much? It’s getting redder now” said Sejin.

“I, uh, I don’t feel very well when I looked for Babu today” said Jinhyuk after.

Sejin narrows his eyebrows listening to that. Jinhyuk is not someone who just doesn’t feel well. He is the healthiest air bender in the whole temple, which is a shame because that’s what makes him too active sometimes. But attacking him with facts that he himself doesn’t seem to realize sounds a bit mean now. So Sejin chooses to be polite.

“Why didn’t you say anything, you could have gone home” said Sejin.

They arrive at their bedrooms’ doors. It’s locked like other monks’ chamber, the only way to open it is through an air bend through the key hole. The weird thing is, Jinhyuk seems to hesitate when he is about to open the door. His palm is opened right in front of the key hole, but he doesn’t open the door.

“Um, can you help me open my door?” asked him later to Sejin. Sejin again frowning his forehead listening to the weird demand from his friend.

“Are you that sick?” ask Sejin while opening his friend’s door.

“Yeah, I feel drained” said Jinhyuk.

The tall mammal then get inside his room and waving his hand at Sejin. Sejin looks confused at the door that is closed in front of him. It’s true that if a bender sick then they tend to not using their bending because it only tires them even more. But Jinhyuk just back from exploring a whole woods looking for that Babu and even bath that hairy big mammal too. He can’t stop being suspicious about his friend, something must have happened in the woods yet the tall one refuse to tell him, for whatever reason that is.

Meanwhile, Jinhyuk is puzzled inside his room. He open his whole clothes and find his body covered in sweat for how unusually hot it is. His veins popped out and they look angry. His neck feels hotter than Babu’s breath in summer, it just doesn’t smell like Babu. He open his palms, again, he tries to push the wind out of his breath just like usual. And yet again, small flames come out from his palms.

He shakes his head, this can’t be happening to him. He is so close to be head shaven monk. This thing will slow him down. Or even stop him entirely to become an air bender. What a shame, he is one of the most talented air bender the monks are proud about. Now because of that darn spirit, he becomes a fire bender in less than a second.

Jinhyuk frustrates so much and unknowingly unleash a whole fire from his mouth and destroy his whole room. Of course being an idiot he is, he runs away around his room while screaming and take a whole water from his bathroom then spray it from his palm using an air bending.

He blinks slowly as fire turns down in his room. He can still air bend. He just did it. And now his body feels less hot than before. His veins stop popping out and his neck doesn’t feel as hot.

“How….” Asked him to himself with his empty gaze.

Outside, his door is being knocked by his friends.

“Jinhyuk? Are you okay? I hear explosion! Are you doing another weird stuff in there again!?” asked them in panic.

“I-I’m okay, I’m fine, it’s just, the water heater breaks out. Nothing to worry about and I’m not doing any weird thing!” said him.

He looks back at his ashy room now, nothing to worry about. So much for nothing, where is he going to sleep after this. His bed burnt crisp after that weird fire comes from his mouth and his fists. He felt his body just exploded and right after the fire comes out, he feels powerful. Thing that monks are forbidden to feel for. To taste a sense of power, and even worse, Jinhyuk likes it.

But then he remembers feeling at his calmest when his palms for once again letting out a breath of air. Jinhyuk looks at his palms again. He thinks of how different both bending bring to his body and his mind. Is this how it feels to be a fire bender? No wonder some of them turn to be destructive humans. Just a small glimpse of his power and he feels...unbeatable.

He can’t sleep that night. Other than his bed is burnt, he practices a whole night of his bending. He fails to put out air bend when he wants to and keeps burning his palm whenever he doesn’t want to. His body temperature must curse at him right now. It turns ridiculously hot at one second then back to normal again the second after.

But at least he can put a small fire from his fingers now. Click it and turns his warm breath into a glimpse of fire in big candle size. But he still fails to control which bending he wants to put out. His eyes feel heavy after so many times trying to put both bending under his control. Seems like he won’t be able to lock his bedroom for a long time.

**Author's Note:**

> Enjoy folks. A review would be nice. Thank you for reading 🙆♀️


End file.
